1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the detection and diagnosis of bladder cancer, and particularly to a method of diagnosing bladder cancer in a patient based on optical analysis of a bodily fluid sample collected from the patient.
2. Description of the Related Art
Bladder cancer is any of several types of cancer arising from the epithelial lining (i.e., the urothelium) of the urinary bladder. Cystoscopy is presently the most common diagnostic procedure for bladder cancer. In cystoscopy, a flexible tube bearing a camera and various instruments is introduced into the bladder through the urethra, allowing for both visual diagnosis and biopsying of suspicious lesions. In addition to the invasive nature of cystoscopy, and similar procedures, visual detection of cancerous lesions is not sufficient for establishing pathological classification, cell type or the stage of the present tumor. A so-called “cold cup” biopsy during an ordinary cystoscopy is also not sufficient for pathological staging. Thus, conventional visual detection is typically followed by transurethral surgery. It would be desirable to provide a detection method for bladder cancer which is completely non-invasive, does not require additional surgery, and which is more accurate than visual inspection techniques.
Thus, a method of detecting bladder cancer by optical analysis of bodily fluids solving the aforementioned problems is desired.